11th Annual Elks Hospice of the Plains Hog Roast Benefit set for Saturday

There will be a wide variety of items up for auction at the 11th Annual Elks Hospice of the Plains Benefit on Saturday, including a Traeger grill, Dale Earnhardt bowling ball and a certificate for one meal a week for one year at the J&L Cafe. (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

STERLING — For 11 years now the community has come together to show generous support for Hospice of the Plains and it's time to do it again. The Elks annual Hospice of the Plains Hog Roast will take place on Saturday, at the Sterling Elks Ballroom.

Dinner, including roast hog, baked beans, coleslaw, chips and dessert, will be served beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the auction will start promptly at 5:30 p.m.

“We appreciate the Elks, the community, people who donate, people who come to the benefit and the people who buy the auction items,” said office manager Tammy Futch.

She and volunteer coordinator Val Romero were busy Wednesday organizing items for the auction. There will be a wide variety of items up for bid this year, including a Traeger grill, Dale Earnhardt bowling ball, one meal a week for a year at J&L Café, quilts, woodcarvings, purses, gift baskets and much more.

The community support, not just for the benefit, but for all that Hospice does, is greatly appreciated.

“We couldn't do this without community support,” said Futch.

A total of $47,635 in auction proceeds and donations of $7,359 were raised at last year's event.

Hospice of the Plains is a non-profit organization that serves more than 9,000 square miles in northeastern Colorado, including Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties.

The organization provides palliative (comfort) care to individuals whose illness is not curable. Palliative care focuses on making the person as comfortable as possible by managing the symptoms of the disease. Hospice's goal is to maximize the patient's quality of life.

A full house turned out for last year's Elks Hospice of the Plains Hog Roast Benefit. This year's benefit is set for Saturday, with dinner starting at 4:30 p.m. and an auction at 5:30 p.m. (Journal-Advocate file photo)

They provide supportive services (physical, social, spiritual and emotional) to patients, their families and significant others through a team approach. Members of the hospice team make periodic home visits. On-call support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for phone consultations or emergency visits.

Services can be provided in the home, nursing home/long term care or assisted living facility. When symptoms cannot be controlled elsewhere, services may be provided within a hospital.

Hospice of the Plains does not turn people away whether or not they can afford to pay for services.

Tickets for Saturday's benefit are $7, or $8 at the door, and can be purchased from the Elks Lodge by calling (970) 522-0515 or from Hospice of the Plains by calling (970) 526-7901.

To learn more about Hospice of the Plains, visit www.hospiceoftheplains.org.